New Delhi, Aug 5 (PTI) Lalit Kala Akademi on Tuesday marked its 71st Foundation Day as it opened the 64th edition of National Exhibition of Art, featuring 283 art works from across the country in disciplines ranging from painting, sculpture, photography, and installation.
The academy also announced that going forward, the award-winning art works at the exhibition will be available for sale, a first in the event's history.
The annual art exhibition was inaugurated by Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who noted the institution's role in supporting Indian visual arts over the last seven decades.
The minister said that the exhibition is not just a display of art works, but a vibrant cultural platform showcasing the talent of emerging and established artists from across the country.
"It beautifully brings together contemporary, traditional, folk, and tribal art, reflecting the diversity and richness of Indian artistic expression.
"It gives me immense satisfaction to note that this year, the Akademi has taken a significant step by encouraging the sale of artworks. This forward-looking move promotes self-reliance among artists and strengthens our creative economy. In today’s time, where art, culture, and economic development are increasingly interlinked, such initiatives are both timely and visionary," Shekhawat said.
He added that it is "a core part of our cultural policy" to empower Indian artists and connect their works to sustainable opportunities.
The featured art works were selected from 5,900 entries from across the country.
Of the 283 works, 20 have been selected for the Lalit Kala Akademi National Award, recognising the artists' "innovation and excellence in visual arts".
The winning artists include Abhishek Sharma, Skarma Sonam Tashi, Vijay M Dhore, Bhaskar Joyti Gogoi, Ashish Ghosh, Giriraj Sharma, Anand Jaiswal, KCS Prasanna, Kanu Priya, Tapati Bhowmik Majumder, and Venugopal V G.
The Akademi also honoured artists Krishen Khanna, Ram V Sutar, and Ira Chaudhari for their "unparalleled lifetime contributions to Indian art and culture". While Sutar received a plaque from the minister, the other two recipients could not attend the ceremony due to health concerns.
Khanna and Chaudhari will receive their awards at home on a later date.
The exhibition will remain open to the public from till September 15.